Having some heart troubles

[squirty]

Hi everyone. I'm just looking for a bit of advice and support. I am currently 25 +5 weeks pregnant and overall I think I've been very lucky with this (my first) pregnancy. However, over the past month I have been having fairly severe heart arrhythmia with my heart beating extremely fast. It had been happening about 3 times a week, lasting up to 3 and a half hours. The first time it happened I went to hospital but by then it had passed and my ECG and test results were normal.

The last episode I had was on Thursday and I ended up having to go to hospital. This time the arrhythmia was picked up easily and my heart was beating at 220bpm. They tried lots of natural ways to stop it but ended up having to give me a few shots of adenosine to shock it back into rhythm. They kept me in overnight and started me on propranolol (a beta-blocker) to take daily. All of the consultants and doctors assured me that this is fine for baby and that me having these episodes is potentially more harmful to baby. I'm not entirely sure what is wrong with me but think it's a form of SVT (I think it's an extra electrical pathway to the heart), which thankfully is nothing life-threatening.

I'm not really sure what I am asking, I think I just needed to get it all off my chest. My husband is amazing but doesn't understand why I am worrying about taking the tablets. As far as he's concerned the consultant and cardiologist have said it's for the best and so it is. I have just tried so hard not to take anything throughout this pregnancy and now am feeling like a bit of a failure. I'm also concerned that my condition will affect the birth. I am seeing the consultant next week so will hopefully find out more then. I've been signed off work for the week which is probably giving me too much time to think too!

Sorry for the long post. Hope you are all enjoying a happy and healthy pregnancy x

 

[suzieishere]

Hi everyone. I'm just looking for a bit of advice and support. I am currently 25 +5 weeks pregnant and overall I think I've been very lucky with this (my first) pregnancy. However, over the past month I have been having fairly severe heart arrhythmia with my heart beating extremely fast. It had been happening about 3 times a week, lasting up to 3 and a half hours. The first time it happened I went to hospital but by then it had passed and my ECG and test results were normal.

The last episode I had was on Thursday and I ended up having to go to hospital. This time the arrhythmia was picked up easily and my heart was beating at 220bpm. They tried lots of natural ways to stop it but ended up having to give me a few shots of adenosine to shock it back into rhythm. They kept me in overnight and started me on propranolol (a beta-blocker) to take daily. All of the consultants and doctors assured me that this is fine for baby and that me having these episodes is potentially more harmful to baby. I'm not entirely sure what is wrong with me but think it's a form of SVT (I think it's an extra electrical pathway to the heart), which thankfully is nothing life-threatening.

I'm not really sure what I am asking, I think I just needed to get it all off my chest. My husband is amazing but doesn't understand why I am worrying about taking the tablets. As far as he's concerned the consultant and cardiologist have said it's for the best and so it is. I have just tried so hard not to take anything throughout this pregnancy and now am feeling like a bit of a failure. I'm also concerned that my condition will affect the birth. I am seeing the consultant next week so will hopefully find out more then. I've been signed off work for the week which is probably giving me too much time to think too!

Sorry for the long post. Hope you are all enjoying a happy and healthy pregnancy x

let it all out!! Nothing wrong with needing to get things off your chest. I think as much as dad's want to understand what we are going through or as much as they try they really can't begin to comprehend. I am not a medicine taker even before I got pregnant so I can relate to being concerned about taking meds, etc. Just try to have faith that the doctors are telling you what's really best for you and the baby. I hope these episodes don't persist for you and wish you all the best throughout the rest of your pregnancy!

 

[bekkie]

 

[torsie93]

Hello!

I have had an existing heart condition since before pregnancy which seems to have a couple of the same symptoms as you are having. When I first found out I was pregnant I went off my medication because doctors weren't sure of the effect it would have on my baby because it's fairly new on the market, but it soon became apparent that I could not manage without the medicine. So I'm back on it, and everything with my baby appears to be developing absolutely normally .

If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it too much, I think it's best for you to stay healthy in order to keep your baby healthy, and especially if the doctors aren't worried about your medication I'm sure everything will be fine.

Take care! xxx

 

[jammers77]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. There's nothing more scary than for the heart to go cuckoo during pregnancy. I've had palpitations (feels like a heavy bump or a skipped beat) for years, and having them during pregnancy bothers me even more.

Keep taking your meds, hon. Hopefully this will solve itself after baby is born. (((HUGS))) to you!

 

[squirty]

Thanks everyone. I know it makes sense for me to take the tablets, as a healthy mum means a healthy baby! I've had some fantastic care under the NHS, so really can't complain.

Jammers please don't ignore your palpitations if they are bad... I tried to deal with mine on my own for over a month and ended up feeling quite poorly and weak from all the episodes. Starting to feel much better now.

I did get these episodes a few times a year before I was pregnant, so I think it must be a pre-existing condition that has just been made much worse in pregnancy.

Torsie, do you know if your heart condition is going to affect the kind of labour you have?

Thanks again for taking the time to answer me! Really appreciate it xxx

 

[jammers77]

Thanks everyone. I know it makes sense for me to take the tablets, as a healthy mum means a healthy baby! I've had some fantastic care under the NHS, so really can't complain.

Jammers please don't ignore your palpitations if they are bad... I tried to deal with mine on my own for over a month and ended up feeling quite poorly and weak from all the episodes. Starting to feel much better now.

I did get these episodes a few times a year before I was pregnant, so I think it must be a pre-existing condition that has just been made much worse in pregnancy.

Torsie, do you know if your heart condition is going to affect the kind of labour you have?

Thanks again for taking the time to answer me! Really appreciate it xxx

Thankfully, mine aren't bad like some ladies I've heard of. Typically, when non-pregnant, they are worse and more frequent because of the hormone surges around ovulation and pre-menses. I think that I'm going to be (or maybe am) pre-menopausal, because during the last two years or so, they seem to be more frequent around feminine days. My mom experienced this, too, so it seems to be hormonal. Yuck!

 

[torsie93]

Torsie, do you know if your heart condition is going to affect the kind of labour you have?

Thanks again for taking the time to answer me! Really appreciate it xxx

Unfortunately I don't think my answer will help you on this one. I am going to be having a C Section but only because of scarring I have due to previous surgeries. I have always known this would be the case so I haven't even asked if my heart condition would affect the birth.

Sorry I couldn't help more!

xx

 

[laila 44]

There is a serious condition called cardiomyopathy of pregnancy that may be worth mentioning to your dr. Women that are affected by this usually get worse right after the birth ( peri partum cardiomyopathy ). Not all cardiologists are familiar with ths condition bu it's basically the pregnancy itself that causes heart degeneration. Don't want to scare you but please look it up xx

 

[Sweedot]

Sorry for your heart scare, there's nothing worse is there!

I started getting premature ventricular contractions after I had my first baby, the lasted for several months and then went away, but when I fell pregnant again they started back up ith an incredible intensity, now I get them everyday, sometimes I get them every few beats and get runs of them and nsvt which scares the living daylights out of me. I've had a bunch of tests including an. ECG and echocardiogram and everything came back normal. I find stress makes it worse.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Hiya, I have a heart condition which was diagnosed during my last pregnancy (I'd had problems during my last pregnancy but was told it was just Tachycardia and a murmur). It was scary, I was told LO might need to come early so I could have a valve replacement which absolutely panicked me. But I was started on medication and it has been very well controlled since . I was under consultant care and had to deliver on the labour ward so I could be monitored (but I needed to anyway as I was already under consultant care). I had an extra scan at 30 weeks and saw either my doctor or MW each week to check my blood pressure, pulse and to make sure I wasn't having side effects. You will probably have a couple of 24 hour ECG's, that was one of the first things they did to assess how much stress my heart was under and whether there were triggers for the arrhythmia, I think it's pretty standard.
If you want to chat send me a PM any time .

 

[squirty]

Thank you for all of your replies and your concern. It is reassuring to hear of your experiences but I am sorry that you have to go through heart problems... it's something we rely on and take for granted and so is pretty scary when you realise it's not quite working properly.

Sweetdot when I have had ECG's in the past they have always come back normal. In fact I went into the hospital just over a month ago after having severe palpitations for over 3 hours. By the time I got there everything had gone back to normal. In fact all of my results came back as perfect and they told me I was a very fit and healthy individual. I felt whenever I discussed it with doctors they didn't really believe me and felt I was being accused of being anxious. I'm not saying I never feel anxious but I knew it wasn't anxiety causing my problems.

The last time I had this episode of palpitations and arrhythmia my husband practically had to drag me to the hospital because I was so sick of being told nothing was wrong and it's emotional. Anyway he turned out to know best and this time they were very concerned by my ECG. I guess I'm saying it is worth going in to hospital as soon as you feel it coming on as that is the only way they can catch it.

Eleanor I'm sorry that you've had to deal with difficult heart problems. Sounds like you received good care though. I had my first 24 hour tape on Tuesday and will get the results of that when I see my consultant next Tuesday. I will be very interested to see what comes up from that. I guess it will also show how effective my medication is. So did you end up having to have a normal delivery?

Thanks again for all of your replies xxx

 

[Sweedot]

Yeah, it's scary..I've had 4 day event monitors too, I've had ultrasounds of the heart and everything looks ok for me. My cardiologist is going to see me again after the birth for a follow up, he may have me do a stress echo too.

When I mentioned I'd had ECG, I meant as well as a plethora of other extensive tests. I started with he24hr holter monitor and after a review from the cardiologist went on from there, I was worried he really suspected something was wrong, but he has reassured me I am ok.

Hope you get some answers, i only mentioned anxiety because for me anxiety is a part of it. I also have gad and panic disorder which I've had for years now. I also have sleep apnea which contributes to my heart issues.

 

[squirty]

Sorry Sweetbot, I hadn't noticed you'd mentioned about anxiety. You are right stress definitely does make it all worse... and it's hard not to feel stressed when your body is doing strange things! I just got a bit frustrated by doctors not believing me when I said that my heart issues were not stress related. The consultant was actually quite apologetic when she saw me in hospital as she had put it down to a stress/pregnancy thing. I guess in their defense it is very hard for them to tell.

I'm sorry you have suffered with anxiety. I have definitely had issues with this in the past too and it can be so debilitating. I hope you manage to have as smooth and healthy a pregnancy as possible xxx